These days, we get to know about local and global news impersonally - through the internet, radio or television.  Mobile phones carry the information to us, wherever we may be. But when Jesus was announced at the start of His ministry, none of our modern technology existed.  Communication was much more personal.  God appointed the human voice of John the Baptist to make the proclamation.  John’s preaching was not intended to attract a crowd to admire him as a celebrity: it was to declare that God’s Holy King had arrived.

The expressions ‘kingdom of heaven’ and ‘kingdom of God’ are used interchangeably in the gospels.  The kingdom is not physical territory; rather, it refers to the people who honour Him as their King.  God’s dwelling is ‘heaven’ and Jesus came from there (John 8:14) to be God the King.  When He returns, everybody will see that he is the King and submit to His verdict on their lives (Philippians 2:9-11).

How should people get ready for the arrival of the Holy King from heaven?   By repenting of their sin.  Instead of John assuming that his hearers were basically good, he proclaimed that they were basically bad.  Many prided themselves that they kept God’s law.  But repentance is at the opposite end of the spectrum to religious pride.  They needed to turn from all their sins in order to be ready to meet the King of heaven.  This evangelistic ministry was prophesied in Isaiah 40:3-5, about 700 years previously.  They would have read and learnt the words before, but failed to see that God was speaking to them.  They had to want to remove the obstacle of sin before they could welcome the King and come close to Him (www.crosscheck.org.uk).

It is still true that the only way to prepare to meet Jesus is to admit our sin, turn from it and ask for forgiveness.  That is why, when we confess our sins, He has promised to forgive us and make us clean from every stain of evil (1 John 1:9). Meeting Jesus is a straightforward matter: once we repent and confess our sin, the way is open.  So let us make straight paths for the King to come into our lives, by getting rid of that obstacle of sin – giving it to Him and trusting in His cleansing blood.  Let us also encourage others around us, at work and where we live, to do the same.   We can also personally announce Jesus, like John the Baptist did.  Our words may be the message that a friend or colleague has been waiting to hear.